Fluid-flow indicator



Sept. 29, 1925.

RSE. BnEcH'roLD, FLUID FLow INDICATOR Fmd No'v'. s. 1920 Mf I mm 7j WMM WML Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,178

R. E. BEcH'roLD FLID FLow INDICATOR F11ed`Nov. 5. 1920 2 sheets-sheet 2 Tiffy; 2,

8 .37' )ZZ/7e?" fm@ amm Patented Sept. 29,1921'.l l

UNITED STATES Y 1,555,178 PATENT oFFicE.

BEUBEN E. IBEGHTOLD, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 S. F. BOWSER 8a GOM-` '.PANY, INC., 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, A-CORPOBATION OF INDIANA.

FLUID-FLOW INDICATOR.

applicati@ med november e, 1920. serial No. 421,865.

To all 'wlwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN E. BCHTOLD, a citizen of the lUnited States, residing at vFort Wayne, inv the county of Allen and liquids depends largely upon the condition vof the valves and plunger. If the plunger does not fit lclosely in the cylinder orif cer- 1,6

tain valves do not vclose properly the pump mechanism might be operated without discharging the proper amount of liquid. There -mayalso be other conditions under which the pump might have to be operated several lstrokes before any liquid is discharged.

One ofthe objects of my invention is the provisions of simple and efficient means for indicating the fiow of iuids, such as gasoline or' other liquids or gases through the discharge pipe, particularly in self-measuring apparatus," so that the discharge of' liquid all the time that the pump apparatus is operated will'be visible to the customer.

Another object of my invention is the provisionof means for mounting a liquid flow indicator in a discharge pipe sov that such exerted on the pipe.

Other objectswill appear hereinafter, the novel combinations and' features of the invention being set forth in the appended claims. I ,l

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,.form ing a part 'of this specication, and in whichf Fig. 1 is a :side elevation with parts broken away to .show underlying portions of a dispensing' apparatus for gasoline, and the like, embodying4 myV invention;v

-Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the flo indicating means; and l Fig. 3 is a section taken/ on line 3 -3 of Fig. 2.

plyv of gasoline or otheruid, which is notl shown. In the cylinder 5 is a piston 7 having a piston rod 8 extending up through the top of the upper head 9 of the cylinder through a' stuffing box 10 and connected with al rack bar 11 which engages operating mechanism in ahead 12 and operated by a manuallyl operable crank'13 mounted on the head 12. The head `12 is connected by means of rods or'other frame 14 withthe upper head 9 of the cylinder and the latter is connected to the base 6 by rods or other means 15.

At the top of the cylinder 5 is a discharge pipe 16 which in the present instance is discheck valves 19 and 20, the 'T 21, and the dispensing valve 22 may all be of any approved construction. yAlso the self-measuringpump and lfiltering' mechanism may be of any ordinary or approved construction.

My improved liquid flow indicatoris illustrated in Fig. l in the vertical portion of the discharge pipe of the measuring pump. While I have shown the indicator between the pipe sections 18 and 18'," it' should be understood that it is capable of being connected atl any point along the vertical discharge pipe, including the upper end.

thereof. l

ln the present instance I have illustrated my improved indicator as comprismg an annular supporting bracket or open annular frame having arcuate webs 211 connecting --th spaced-apart collars 25 having alinedl openings therethrough. The supportingbracket vis screw-threaded onto the upper end of the discharge plpe 18 leadmg u wardly from the pump apparatus. T e lower collar 25 is provided with an-,annular shoulder or seat 26 to receive the annular gasket 27, and onv the latter is adapted restthe transparent tube 28, as shown 1n Fig. 2. The tube 28 extends upwardly across the annular frame so as to be exposed .to view.

The upper end of the supporting bracket is formed to receive the threaded bushing 29. The latter is also screw-threaded at its inner upper end portion to receive the upper pipe section 18, as shown in Fig. 2. The bushing or tubular member 29 may be turned by) applying a tool at and since the lower (ld of the bushing is screw-threaded to the upper collar 25 and is also screw-threaded to the lower end of the upper pipe Section 18', this lbushing may be -moved upwardly or downwardly to a limited extent independently of the supporting bracket and of the pipe 18; that is to say, the tubular member 29 may be moved up or down While the pipe section 18 and the supporting bracket remain stationary. It will thus be seen that the bushing or screw-threaded tubular member 29 may be used as'a clamp to hold the transparent tube 28 securely 1n the frame, and the gaskets 27 at the ends of the tubular frame may' be relied upon to obtain liquid-tight joints when the bushing is moved down to the position shown in F1 2.

The gaskets 27 not only assure tight jolnts but also distribute the pressure on the glass tube 28. After the tubular clamping member 29 has been screwed down tight it may be secured in adjusted osition by means of aset screw 30.' The 'atter is desi ed to hold the .tubular clamping mem er 29 against retrograde movement to prevent loosening'of the transparent tube 28.

v In Fig. 2 I have indicated an upper pipe section 18 screw-threaded to the tubular clamp 29, but it should be understood that when desired the upper liquid discharge pi e mayform a direct continuation of the tu ular clamp 29 so that the liquid will` iow directly through the member 29 to any suitable means for dispensin the liquid. However, it' should be particu arly noted that the annular frame supports the upper-pipe secr tion 18 or any pipe which is connected'to vthe clamping member 29.- The annular frame-ri dly connects 4the u per and lower ,pipe sectlons 18-jand 18', as own inv Fig. 2.. Therefore, Awhen a flexible -delivery hose, such as that indic'ated`at'39- inFig. 1, is connected to `the'upper section 18 the bendv ingstra'ins will be takenv by the supporting bracket or annular frame and thus protect the glass tube 28 4by yrelieving the strain thereon. n other words, the glasstube 28 'ma held-in position between iexible gas ets on the annular seats, while the bend- 'lng strains`:due to movement of the hose 39 are 'resisted by they annular frame .24 connectedrigidly between the upper and ,lower pipe sectlons 1 8 and 18 'in ependently lof -the -glass tube 28. It will also be seen that the tubular nut or clam ing device 29 .may

serve to 'hold' thev glass tu e 28 in place while a rigid connecat the lsame timeaffording d rame 24 an the tion betweenthe annular upper'pipe section 18. The `ri id connection between the lower pipe section and the upper pipe section 18 is therefore maintained whether the glass tube 28 is in place, or not. Disposed within the-glass tu e 28 is a butterfly vane adapted to be operated by the flow of liquid through the tube to indicate4 such flow. At the ends of the glass tube 28 are located spiders 31 the legs of which are of sufficient length to form an easy lit in the bore of the lass tube. A shaft rod 32 is secured rigid y at 33, 33'to the centers of the spiders 31 so as to space them apart a suiicient distance to cause.

them to be located at the ends of the glass tube but so that no pressure 'will be exerted v Rotatably mounted on the shaft 32 is a cylindricalv hub 34 located between the ends of the tubes 35 which are secured to thespiders 31 at 36, 36. The tubes 35 which are secured to the shaft 32 form shoulders to prevent the butterfly vane from moving up'or down along the shaft 32. The latter is held centrally within the glass tube by being secured to the centers of the s iders 31.

Extendin radially from the hu 34ers a plurality o blades 37 arranged approximately'spirally, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The blades or vanes 37 are set angularly, as shown,`so that fluid owing through the tube 28 would cause the hub 34 and the arts carried thereby to rotate on the sha -32 intermediate the ends ofthe lass tube. At the outer ends of blades-37 have shown vertical -plan'e plates 38 substantially rpendicular to a radiating plane exten ing through the axis of rotation of the vane. ByV having the plates' 38 travel edgewise upon rotation of the vane the resistance of movement through the iuid` will be reduced. l

since gasoline vflowing through sald tube is colorless.

When the indicatingmechanism herein.-

disclosed isconnected in a dischar e-pipe of f measuring pum apparatus,- lea 'valves w1ll be indica by the liquidsettling below the sight glass 28. Furthermore, even when the sight glass is full of liquid and thev butterfly vane does not s in while the.

' um is being `operated itwill understood y' t e customer that no liquid is discharged. Either the plun er 7, (Fig, l) does not lit closely in the cy inder 5 or some other mechanism is out of order, but when the customer observesthat the vane is rotating in the glass tube 28 he may be assured that the pump measuring apparatus is operating properly.-

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as .defined by the claims hereto appended and I wish therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

What I'claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In liquid iow indicating mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination with a trans arent tube, of spacedapart spiders in sai tube, a rod connecting said spiders, a vane rotatably mounted on said rod, and tubes on said rod for spacing said vane intermediate said spiders.

. 2. In liquid flow indicating mechanism for dispensing apparatus, the combination with a transparent tube, of spaced-apart spiders 1n said tube, a shaft rod rigidly connecting said spiders, a. vane comprising a tube mounted on said rod, and additional tubes on said rod for spacing the vane intermediate the spiders. y

3. In dispensing apparatus, the combination with a frame, of a transparent tube,

spaced-apart spiders in said tube, a shaft connecting said spiders, a rotatable fluid flow indicator mounted on said shaft, spaced apart gaskets at the ends of said tube overlapping the radial ends of said spiders, and means for clamping the askets against the ends of said tube to holt? the latter in said frzme and to confine said spiders Within said tu e.

In testimony whereof I have signed my uan-ie to this specification on this 29" day of October, A. D. 1920.

REUBEN E. BECHTOLD. 

